(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for providing services at a members-only type website or the like via a network.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Service providing devices have been traditionally introduced for providing, via the Internet, registered members (such as corporate and individual customers) with services such as information services including product sales, repair acceptance and product advertising at a website for EC (Electronic Commerce) of selling products to the members via the Internet.
This type of a service providing device, which corresponds to a server connected via the Internet to terminals such as personal computers used by individual members at home, for instance, provides the above-mentioned services such as product advertising.
The server (the service providing device) sends out questionnaires to the members and analyzes the results. The service provider who manages the server predicts the services the members are most likely to want based on the analysis, and provides the predicted services to the members through the server.
For example, if the service provider predicts that the member wants to receive the information service on “microwave ovens” based on the analysis of his questionnaire answers, the provider sends the information on “microwave ovens” to the member's terminal by e-mail through the server.
However, the conventional service providing device cannot make adequate analysis because the analysis is based on only the questionnaire results and the like. Therefore, the service provider cannot predict accurately what kind of information on microwave ovens the member is likely to want, and thus provides information unnecessary for the member or cannot provide information necessary for the member. This is a problem.